US politics: Kansas last sent a Democrat to the Senate in 1932. A megachurch pastor aims to change that
KATHRYN POST David Adams
May 4, 2026
No Comments
United States
RNS
Thirty-six years ago, Rev Adam Hamilton co-founded a church with a handful of people in a funeral home chapel. Now, that congregation is the largest United Methodist church in the nation, and Hamilton is setting his sights on a new venue: the United States Congress.
Rev Adam Hamilton, pastor of Church of the Resurrection, officially announces his plans to run as a Democrat for US Senate, on Thursday, 30th April, 2026, in Prairie Village, Kansas. PICTURE: Video screen grab.
Hamilton, 61, announced his run for US Senate on Thursday morning in a press conference in Prairie Village, the suburban city he was raised in. Describing himself as an “independent-minded Democrat,” he emphasised his church’s community building and charity work and said his decades in ministry prepared him to be a bridge-builder in Congress.
“For me, this feels like a calling. It feels like a calling I’m willing to take great risks for, make great sacrifices for, because I care about our country, and I care about the people in my community, and I care about the people in Kansas.”
– Rev Adam Hamilton
“In a world that feels more and more divided, I’ve had the privilege of being a pastor for 36 years of a church that’s roughly equally divided between Republicans, Democrats and independents,” said Hamilton at the press conference. “Our people love each other precisely because of their differences.”
With over 24,000 members and nine locations in the Kansas City area, Resurrection, A United Methodist Church has earned a reputation for its civic engagement and “big tent” approach to ministry. A prolific writer and popular preacher, Hamilton has authored more than 30 books, is host of the Making Sense of Faith podcast, and has gained a national following; in 2013, he delivered the sermon at the National Prayer Service to conclude President Obama’s inaugural ceremonies. He later served on President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
“For me, this feels like a calling,” Hamilton told RNS Friday morning. “It feels like a calling I’m willing to take great risks for, make great sacrifices for, because I care about our country, and I care about the people in my community, and I care abou
t the people in Kansas.”